Briefly 807 AMERICAS


Thousands of dead migrant seabirds wash up on Canada’s shore The carcasses of thousands of migrant sea- birds washed up on the shores of eastern Canada in July 2022, and preliminary find- ings suggested the birds died of avian flu. Since May 2022,the Canadian Food In- spection Agency had confirmed 13 positive cases of the highly pathogenic avian in- fluenza in the eastern Canadian province of Newfoundland. Environment and Climate Change Canada is conducting more investi- gations to confirm that the seabirds’ deaths are linked to avian flu. Herring gulls, Iceland gulls, common ravens and American crows are among the species most affected by the virus.Avian influenza is highly conta- gious and can affect domestic and wild birds throughout the world. The CanadianWildlife Service is working closely with the pro- vincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as with the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, to contain the spread. The disease has also spread rap- idly in Vancouver Island, infecting great horned owls, bald eagles, great blue herons, ducks, geese and crows. Source: Reuters (2022) reuters.com/ business/environment/thousands-dead- migrant-seabirds-wash-up-canada-shore- avian-flu-suspected-2022-07-28


Efforts to protect British Columbia’s northern caribou In southern and central British Columbia, caribou are struggling. Some herds have al- ready been extirpated, their habitat eroded by logging and mining, crisscrossed by roads, or otherwise intruded upon by people. Other herds are just hanging on, their num- bers dwindling, as Indigenous communities and scientists race to prevent any further losses. In northern British Columbia, cari- bou populations are comparatively in bet- ter shape, but a new assessment from the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada shows at least two herds are also declining as industrial expansion, wildfires and other pressures destroy their habitat. However, in the north, there are still large stretches of land unencumbered by industry, and there is still time to prevent caribou populations from reaching the crisis levels of their neigh- bours to the south. Protecting caribou from future declines will require improved moni- toring of their populations and the impacts of human activity, and prioritizing conser- vation of the habitat they rely on. Source: The Narwhal (2022) thenarwhal.ca/ northern-mountain-caribou-conservation


Rare hummingbird rediscovered in Colombia An experienced local birdwatcher in Colo- mbia has rediscovered the extremely rare, Critically Endangered Santa Marta sabre- wing Campylopterus phainopeplus,arela- tively large hummingbird endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. It is only the second documented sighting of the species since it was first collected in 1946. The last time was in 2010,whenre- searchers captured the first-ever photos of the species in the wild. The Santa Marta sabrewing is so rare and elusive that it was included as one of the top 10 most wanted lost birds by the Search for Lost Birds. The male sighted in July 2022was instantly recog- nizable by its emerald green feathers, bright iridescent blue throat and curved black bill. It was perched on a branch and singing, which scientists think is a behaviour asso- ciated with defending territory and courtship. However, no other hummingbirds were seen in the area, although there have been sporadic reports of Santa Marta sabrewing sightings during the past decade. Researchers believe the population in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is very small and decreasing. Source: BirdLife International (2022) birdlife.org/news/2022/08/05/rare-singing- emerald-green-and-iridescent-blue- hummingbird-unexpectedly-rediscovered- in-colombia


Monarch butterflies categorized as Endangered A beloved visitor to summer gardens, the migratory monarch butterfly Danaus plex- ippus, has been categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The butterfly, known for its twice-yearly, 4,000-km jour- ney across the American continent between its summer and winter grounds, has de- clined by 23–72% in the past 10 years. Although it has long been considered under threat, its listing on the IUCN Red List marks the first time it has been officially declared at risk of extinction. Monarchs are threatened by habitat destruction in their wintering grounds, which has caused steep declines in both the western and the eastern subpopulations. In their summer habitats, pesticides used in agriculture have killed monarchs and also milkweed, which the larvae feed on. Climate change, too, is an in- creasing threat as dramatic weather events such as hurricanes and drought become more common along the butterflies’ south- ern migration routes. Source: National Geographic (2022) nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/ monarch-butterflies-are-now-an- endangered-species


Endangered Hawaiian monk seal population at its highest in 2 decades Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) an- nounced in May 2022 that the population of the Endangered Hawaiian monk seal Monachus schauinslandi is on the rise. Endemic to Hawaii, themonk seal popula- tion has been monitored for almost 4 decades, and increased from 1,435 to 1,570 individuals since the 2019–2020 survey, marking the first time the population has surpassed 1,500 in more than 20 years. Scientists at NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program said the count sug- gests conservation and rescue efforts are having an impact. They added that al- though the trend is promising, concerns remain about the species’ long-term sur- vival, as the low-lying islands and atolls the seals live on are threatened by rising sea levels associated with climate change, with some islands already having been washed away entirely. Additional threats are entanglement in fishing nets, ingestion of fishing hooks, and even deliberate kill- ing by people, so conservation efforts re- main vital to secure a future for the seals. Source: Los Angeles Times (2022) latimes. com/world-nation/story/2022-05-06/ endangered-hawaiian-monk-seal- population-rises


Mysterious Arctic shark found cruising around Belize A mysterious shark that is typically found in the waters of the Arctic was spotted cruising around a coral reef near Belize. Researchers were tagging tiger sharks as part of a long-termshark and raymonitor- ing project in the area when they discov- ered an unusual shark that none of the local fishers had ever seen before. After they consulted with experts, the research- ers determined the individual belonged to the sleeper shark family. Named for their reportedly sluggish personalities, sleeper sharks are found mostly in polar and sub- polar areas. Because the sighted individual was so large, with a total length of c. 3.0– 3.5 m, it was thought to probably be a Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus or a hybrid of the Greenland shark and Pacific sleeper shark Somniosus pacificus. Greenland sharks usually prefer the icy cold waters of theArctic andNorthAtlantic oceans. They are estimated to live 400 years ormore, which makes them the longest-living verte- brate known to science. Sources: Marine Biology (2022) doi.org/10. 1007/s00227-022-04090-3 & Treehugger (2022) treehugger.com/arctic-shark-found- cruising-around-belize-6500189


Oryx, 2022, 56(6), 803–808 © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605322001168


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